How to Make Money Playing Computer Games

We all need some time to goof off now and again. After all, there is nothing like shutting off the brain for a few minutes.

One of my guilty pleasures is to indulge in mindless computer games. I’ve always been a fan of Sim City and similar tycoon games, but I’m also like the classics like FreeCell and Solitaire. The only difference is that I often get paid to play these games in my spare time…

Let me explain.

I’ve previously written about how some people are making extra money by playing the computer game “Second Life” in my article titled “The 7 Wackiest Investments for Under $100,” but there is another way to make money playing computer games – mini-competitions. I’ve listed three of the sites below that will pay you…

This site has become known over the years for paying people to read emails, but it turns out they will also pay you play their advertiser supported games. First, signup for a free account with InboxDollars.com. (They give you $5 free when signup anyway. Score!) Then, click the ‘games’ button located in the toolbar.

From here, you can participate in free games that earn you points when you do well. Your points can later be redeemed for gift cards or traded in for “game credits” that allow you to participate in the cash competitions/tournaments.

The World Winner site is run by the folks over at the Game Show Network and it’s a pretty fun way to get your “game on.” There are dozens of games to play including Bejeweled, Wheel of Fortune, and Jeopardy. You can play free games on this site, but the real money is the paid competitions…

Once you have signed up and chosen a game, you will see there are two ways to compete: mini-competitions and tournaments. If you choose a mini-game competition the site will match you up with somebody who has a similar skill level and you both put .50-$1.00 in the ‘pot’. Your skill level is determined by your past game performance so beginners start out at the bottom. The winner of the game will get to keep both entrance fees.

Tournaments are often ongoing events where the prizes are much larger and split up among a number of participants. For example, there is a $10,000 Solitaire tournament this month and the prize is divided up among the top 100 entrants with the highest score.

This site is a bit of a blast from the past as it is run by Lycos (remember them?) and has been around since damn near the beginning of the internet. Like World Winner, they offer a variety of games to play and mini-competitions you can play for cash.

In addition to paid competitions, they also offer a few free games that offer prize money to the winner. One of my favorite free games is bingo because it doesn’t take any skill and I can often multitask while I play. The winner usually takes a small prize under $10.

Halloween is a great time to pick up seasonal jobs and side hustles that will help you make a little extra cash for your holiday shopping. Here are some of our favorite creative, spooky and fun ways to make money on the side. Which ones will you try?